Expect some debate tonight as the Indiana Area School Board discusses several proposals for the elementary school alignment within the district, and considers adding a board member who may be key for one or the other of the sides contending on that issue.
Robert Edwards resigned from the board last month. Tonight’s agenda calls for approval of a motion to add a new member, whose name has not yet been publicly revealed. With the current board majority in favor of the elementary school project, they could conceivably solidify their position with another member on their side. However, board member Walter Schroth has submitted a motion to ask Indiana County Court to extend the deadline for naming a new member until a scheduled special meeting on May 22nd. A second motion by Schroth requires the board to appoint the person who receives the highest number of votes in the Primary Election as the new board member to fill out the remainder of Edwards’ term. In effect, it’s a referendum on the elementary school plan, with the winner of the Primary potentially swinging the balance of power on the board to those against the plan.
Yet another agenda item, by Tamara Leeper, directs the district’s administration to research the costs and academic benefits of three K-through-8 schools. That could effectively halt the current elementary plan until the new information is studied.
Tonight’s agenda also calls for the elimination of more than $24,000 in extracurricular positions, including a Junior High assistant football coach and a part-time Junior High football coach, an assistant track coach, a director and technical assistant for the dramatics department (with the elimination of a third play during the school year), and an assistant band director.
